ADVENTURE SALON

What would you do if you could do anything in the world, and money was no object? First, you'd make a list; that's what I did, anyway. And while money is definitely an object, sometimes as big as an elephant in a room, you find a way to get what you want without being trampled. This blog is about my Bucket List and yours, too. My list ranges from baking a souffle for my husband Sarge, to sitting atop a tortoise in the Galapagos. While contemplating your own list, enjoy some of my adventures.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Having lost two family members in one year has caused me to re-evaluate and re-prioritize my life. You can run out of money, you can lose cherished loved ones (and therefore, their love) and there is never enough time for the things you want most to do.

So we have to make the time. Take the time.

I am sad to announce that Adventure Salon is closing its doors. Oh, I will still pursue my Bucket List, but my writing priority will now be my debut novel-in-progress.

For those of you interested, my novel is historical fiction about when the Cherokee Nation reneges on a promise to turn over land to its former slaves, a prideful ex-slave woman vows to fight for her rights. In the trials that follow, Sput Louie unwittingly sets in motion a sequence of events that land her back at the mercy of her former slave owner, forcing her to come to grips with a devastating personal tragedy and a long-buried secret.

It's been fun entertaining myself -- and hopefully you! -- with my Bucket List adventures, and who knows; some day I may take up ye olde blog again. So I'll keep this website open. Anyone who wishes to contact me can do so here (or Facebook. Or Twitter). I'll check back periodically just in case?

Thanks to you all.

Oh, here's a couple of other Bucket List blogs you might enjoy; I sure did:

Monday, October 10, 2011

A road trip isn't a road trip unless you visit some random small town (Number 157 on my Bucket List), and explore it with big city curiosity. For the New and Improved Ricardos and Mertzes, that town was San Miguel, California, population 2,336. It doesn't get much smaller than that, and life isn't so random after all. If memory serves, my grandmother lived in this town for a bit during the early 70's. It was even smaller then, but it still has the same dry and dusty vista that I remembered as a child.

The Diva & The Doc with Father Junipero Serra

I wondered if everyone knows everyone else in this town like they do on soap operas. As San Miguel Turns kind of has a ring to it, or maybe Days of Our Dusty Lives. Anyway, that question was answered as we visited the town's tourist hotspot, the San Miguel Mission. Everyone that entered the shop (except us) was greeted by name. The curator of the museum there made us take the free self-guided walking tour, right after she asked us for a donation. The tour was really kind of nice.

Sarge praying. . .

. . . that I don't make him sleep here . . .

Next time, I'm coming back to visit San Miguel's nighttime hotspot The Elkhorn, that boasts "The oldest bar in the county!"

Yes, San Miguel has something for everyone, from the spiritual to the spirits.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Goodreads

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I really liked this book. I laughed and cried. Though it took me a while to get into it (perhaps because it was an audio book?), once I was hooked, Mallery couldn't get rid of me. I love her writing, the narrator's voice, as well as the voi...

My Book Reviews

This novel by Jonathan Tropper is the story of an author who writes a scathing bestseller about his hometown, a character assassination of nearly everyone that lives there. It's even been turned into a movie wherein the fictional author cas...

This story, based on the true event of the first Native American to graduate Harvard, is the best book I've read all year. I was totally absorbed in the story, and if you're an author yourself, you'll appreciate Brooks writing. Simply inspi...

I couldn't get past Chapter 15 because of the stereotypical character Lula. If she wasn't eating fried chicken, she was talking about eating fried chicken, and then she referred to herself as a ho. I mean, who does that? Really. Where's the...

Kimberly Chang is an 11-year old immigrant in Brooklyn NY trying to adapt to a new country and a different world than the one she knew in Hong Kong. Watching her traverse the obstacles thrown at her makes for an interesting read. Some times...